Petition of Brother Thomas Marquez of the Order of Saint Augustine
that the definitorship in the Philippine Islands be maintained in
force.
Most blessed Father:
Following is a petition humbly made to your Holiness in the interests
of the devout brother of that order, Thomas Marquez, [119] professed of
the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine, from his twenty-third year a
member of the definitorship of the same order of the province of the
Philippine Islands in the West Indies, [120] and in the name of the
said province. Whereas, on account of his great skill in the management
of affairs, as well as of his learning, the convents and the provincial
definitory of the said order for those regions (as may be seen in the
letters addressed by them to your Holiness, and acknowledged by your
Holiness), chose him to remedy the very many grievances and scandals
which distressed the mission-bands of the brethren of the said order
that were sent by royal command to those regions to preach the gospel,
which arose through the negligence or malice of their leaders, as well
as from the hindrances on the part of the provincials of Castile to
prevent such as they deemed useful and necessary to their own province
from going thither. Wherefore, he was appointed procurator-general in
order to act at your curia, as well as at the Spanish, for the
transaction of weighty affairs concerning the order in the said
regions, since his superiors in Spain in contravention of the wish and
decree of the most reverend prior-general as well as of the general
chapter, had usurped the title of vicar-general of the aforesaid
Indies, and thereby were guilty of disobedience. Inasmuch as they
barred him from exercising his said office of procurator-general,
besides taking from him all his papers and reports bearing on the above
affairs, which he was carrying with him; moreover, in virtue of holy
obedience and under other penalties they enjoined him from applying to
the Roman curia or to the general of the said order in the interest of
the aforesaid countries; and lastly besides depriving him of his former
conventship located him instead at San Felipe of Madrid: [121] he now
prays your Holiness humbly while making due provision in the premises
also to charge the most reverend nuncio of those countries to see that
he be reëstablished in the exercise of his said office, that all his
papers be restored, and himself enabled in accordance with the tenor
and wish of his province to take with him all the brethren of the said
order [in Spain] who wish to go with him for the purpose of converting
the peoples of those countries and preaching to them the word of God.
Moreover your Holiness is implored to restrain under grave penalties
and censures all who may hinder him in the exercise of his duty, as
well as strive in any way to dissuade the brethren who may wish to
devote themselves to the said ministry, for which they shall have been
adjudged worthy, from going thither; moreover, to enjoin them [i.e.,
the provincials of Castile] under the same censures from using their
vicargeneralship in opposition to the will and decree of the most
reverend prior-general, or from attempting to contravene his mandates.
Finally he seeks to be free in the exercise of his said office of
procurator-general, according to the decree and command of the
prior-general of the order. Wherefore he always will pray God for your
health, which may God, etc.
[Addressed: “Our most blessed pope.”]
[Endorsed: “Case of Brother Thomas Marquez, procurator-general of the
province of the Philippines of the Order of St. Augustine in the name
of the said province.”]
[Endorsed: “Received, October 13, 1599; sent to our Lord.”]
[Endorsed: “To the Cardinal San Severino [word illegible] to be acted
upon in the new congregation.”]